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Tickets Now Available for the 2016 State Fair of Texas and Big Tex Choice Awards

DALLAS, TEXAS – August 1, 2016 – For all you Fair food fanatics out there, the wait is over – you can now purchase your tickets to the 12th Annual Big Tex® Choice Awards! In 2014, the annual Big Tex Choice Awards ceremony opened its doors to the public for the first time. A limited number of State Fair fans got the chance to attend the event and serve as taste-testers for the food finalists in the famed culinary competition. After hosting the two most successful events in the competition's history, the Big Tex Choice Awards will once again give Fair fans the chance to get a sneak peek of this year's food lineup. Tickets are available for purchase online today at BigTex.com/Tickets.

The State Fair of Texas is excited to partner with the Dallas Convention & Visitor's Bureau ("Dallas CVB") to present the 12th Annual Big Tex Choice Awards. "As one of Dallas' premier events, the State Fair of Texas is known for raising the bar when it comes to offering the most creative and most talked about food items every year," explains Dallas CVB President and CEO Phillip J. Jones. "The Big Tex Choice Awards is synonymous with Texas, where everything really is bigger and better, especially the food. With all the five star creations it brings year after year, the Big Tex Choice Awards is definitely one of Texas' top traditions for both locals and visitors."

Be one of the first people to taste the food made by the finalists at the 2016 Big Tex Choice Awards on Sunday, August 28 at 2 p.m. in the historic Tower Building. Tickets are available online for $100, with a limited amount of seats available. All proceeds from the Big Tex Choice Awards ceremony will be donated to the State Fair of Texas Youth Scholarship Program. Over its 24 year history, the Youth Scholarship Program has awarded scholarships to more than 1,800 students for a total of more than $8.7 million. Eligible recipients include graduating high school seniors from around the state of Texas who have competed in State Fair youth livestock events, as well as graduating seniors from five Fair Park area schools – Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School, James Madison, Lincoln, North Dallas and Woodrow Wilson High Schools. Due to the event's charitable cause, a portion of each ticket is tax-deductible.

In addition to purchasing your ticket to the Big Tex Choice Awards, you can also buy your general admission tickets to the 2016 State Fair of Texas, along with tickets for children and seniors. As an added perk this year, fairgoers can save money by purchasing tickets online. With a regular price of $18, general admission tickets are available for $16 online. BigTex.com offers $12 admission for children under 48 inches in height and seniors age 60 and older, with tickets regularly priced at $14. The Fair offers free admission for children age two and under. For those of you wanting to get ahead of the game and order your food and ride coupons in advance, coupons are also available for purchase online. Your ticket to the Fair is your ticket to Texas-sized fun, with hundreds of daily shows, concerts, activities and exhibits all included in the price of admission. Purchase your tickets and coupons online today at BigTex.com/Tickets.

To make tickets more easily accessible and simplify the process of buying a ticket online, the Fair is implementing several new features within its ticketing system this year. In the past fairgoers could order tickets online and have them mailed to their homes. This process is still in place, however this year the Fair is offering two new options for online ticket buyers. Starting September 1, guests purchasing tickets online will have the option to print their tickets at home for the first time ever! In addition, fairgoers have the option of purchasing their tickets on their smartphones and accessing their tickets immediately after purchase. This new option will allow guests to complete every step of the purchasing process on their smartphones and have their phones scanned at the entry gate. As another added feature this year, visitors can purchase coupon vouchers online starting September 1. Like purchasing a ticket online, guests can either print their coupon vouchers at home or purchase them on their smartphones and have them sent directly to their phones. With coupons priced at 50 cents each, coupon vouchers will be sold in $50 increments (100 coupons). Fairgoers will be able to exchange their vouchers for hard coupons by visiting special designated coupon booths. For those of you not wanting to buy online, don't worry – tickets will still be available for purchase at all State Fair admission gates, starting September 30.

Celebrating 130 years this fall, the State Fair of Texas brings visitors from near and far to celebrate all things Texan. In continuing this tradition, the Fair aims to provide a wide variety of quality entertainment and give each fairgoer the true Texas experience, whether you're a native or a visitor of the Lone Star State. At 24 days, the State Fair of Texas is the longest-running fair in the nation. With hundreds of shows, games, rides, exhibits and concerts, there are endless ways to spend your time at the Fair. The 2016 exposition runs from Friday, September 30 to Sunday, October 23 in historic Fair Park.